"In 2008, we had just fewer than 100 students enrolled in AP classes. This year, we have more than 600," she said. "The expectation is that when you go to college, taking these AP classes is one of the first things they look at on transcripts and what type of challenging curriculum you've taken."

According to the IDOE, the increase in AP participation is state wide.

Between 2006 and 2011, the number of graduates who took an AP exam in Indianapolis Public Schools jumped 83-percent. In Carmel-Clay Schools, participation rose 115-percent and in Hamilton Southeastern Schools, participation increased 318-percent.

Purdue student Claire Lee said she's starting college as a second-semester sophomore because of the 46 college credits she earned by taking AP classes in high school.

"I took everything from AP US History to AP Government. I took AP Spanish and AP Physics," Lee said. "I had lots of friends who took eight AP classes their senior year. They were all really motivated and I see them around here at Purdue and at other universities, driven and ahead of the game."

Taking AP courses in high school costs students $89 for each AP exam, but the fees for the AP math and science tests are waived.